Mumbai: This 74-year-old woman has been assisting cops for free for over 30 years

Anuradha Kulkarni a 74yearold resident of Santacruz has been helping the Mumbai police manage traffic solve cases and assist accident victims for the past 30 yearsmdashall without any salary Despite walking with a slight bend due to a back issue she actively stops motorists from entering the wrong lanes and recently helped the Bandra police catch a thief by chasing him on her bike along with the victimKulkarni resides in Saraswat Colony Santacruz West with her daughter soninlaw and their two children She began her journey as a traffic warden three decades ago after undergoing training at the Bycullabased Traffic Training Institute She passed both the written and practical exams but chose not to wear the official uniform while on dutyKulkarni is often seen with her 30yearold whistle around her neck managing traffic at various spots including Juhu Aeroplane Garden Junction Captain Vinayak Gore Road signal at Vile Parle West Podar School Lane and near St Lawrence School in Santacruz WestAnuradha Kulkarni the 74yearold traffic warden in action as she assists with traffic management in Santacruz PicAshish RajeSpeaking with midday Anuradha Kulkarni said ldquoAround 30 years ago I was near Podar School in Santacruz and noticed many bikers entering the wrong lane I immediately informed the traffic police and stopped several bikers A traffic officer encouraged me to join as a traffic warden Since then Irsquove been doing this voluntarily as a concerned citizenrdquoldquoManaging traffic helping ambulances and assisting schoolchildren are every citizenrsquos duty Irsquom just doing my part I still use the same whistle I began withmdashitrsquos lucky for me and motivates me to continuerdquo she addedKulkarni always carries the whistle she received when she first joined the Mumbai Traffic Police as a traffic warden ldquoThis whistle is very lucky for me and serves as my weaponmdashit motivates me to work for the betterment of the city It also helps me stop vehicles from entering the wrong lane I will carry this whistle until my last breathrdquo she saidWhen she nabbed a thiefAn officer from Bandra police station shared ldquoIn March a man snatched R5000 from a person inside an ATM near Bandra Circle The victim chased him and granny Kulkarni who witnessed the incident joined the chase on her bike She knew the accused had entered Tata Colony which has only one exit She alerted the Bandra police and waited at the colony gate with the victim An hour later when the accused tried to escape the police apprehended him and recovered the stolen moneyrdquoSaved truck driver from mobA Santacruz police officer recalled ldquoTwo months ago a man died while crossing the road Kulkarni was managing traffic at the time and saw that the victimrsquos slipper got stuck in a divider causing him to fall in front of a moving truck Angry locals began attacking the truck driver but Kulkarni intervened and later testified that it wasnrsquot the driverrsquos fault She remains a key witness in the caserdquoHelped catch a mobile thiefldquoAbout six months ago a mobile phone was stolen from a watchman in a Santacruz society Based on CCTV footage Santacruz police asked Kulkarni for help identifying the accused She investigated the area and learned the suspect was a sweeper in Juhu who had been absent for three days She informed the police who eventually arrested the man and recovered the phonerdquo a police officer saidKulkarni helps guide pedestrians and manage the flow of vehicles in Santacruz PicAshish RajeBeyond traffic management Kulkarni is also a singer cricketer and sportsperson She plays cricket badminton and carrom regularly in her neighbourhood Kulkarni said ldquoEvery day I roam around on my bike and if I see a traffic issue I stop and help My motherinlaw gifted me a house in Tardeo and the rent I receive is enough to cover my expenses My family also supports my work My husband Ashok Kulkarni who worked in a bank passed away in 2004rdquoldquoPeople often disregard traffic rules which causes more congestion and accidents I try to educate them on the dangers of wrongside driving Following rules is every citizenrsquos responsibilityrdquo she emphasisedSenior Inspector Salim Tamboli of the Juhu traffic division said ldquoThough she is not an official traffic warden Kulkarni assists us greatly She even informs us about wrongly parked vehicles that obstruct traffic flowrdquo Kulkarni was honoured in 2014 by actor Anupam Kher for her outstanding voluntary work During the COVID19 pandemic she also helped the BMC distribute food to SARSCov2positive patientsLocals SpeakVinod Kumar Singh who works at a motor training centre near Juhu Circle said ldquoI have seen this granny multiple times in the Juhu area managing traffic alone She is very active and fearlessly stands in the middle of the road Many times Irsquove given her water when I saw her helping ease traffic She is an inspiration to others proving that age doesnrsquot matter when you have a passion for workrdquoPrakash Badade who runs a sugarcane juice stall outside the Juhu aeroplane garden said ldquoIrsquove been running this juice centre for the past 30 years and Irsquove seen this granny many times Shersquos often seen managing traffic and helping children cross the road A few months ago I saw her helping a man who had fallen from his bike at Juhumdashshe gave him water and even treated his injuries She also carries a medical kit on her bike to help accident victimsrdquoatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params